IMPROVING healthy gut bacteria by consuming foods rich in so-called prebiotic compounds could reduce the incidence of exercise-induced asthma, according to scientists from Nottingham Trent University, who have published findings in the British Journal of Nutrition.
Prebiotics: led to improvements in exercise-induced asthma in testing
Prebiotics have been shown in previous trials to promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, helping to maintain a healthy digestive system. They are found in foods including oats, bananas, onions and Jerusalem artichokes. However, for their recent double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, Dr Neil Williams and his colleagues at the department of sport science and the Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement (SHAPE) research centre tested a prebiotic supplement called Bimuno-galactooligosaccharide (B-GOS) for its effects on asthma severity.